Chapter 48: Never Heard of Such a Miserable Thing

"How can this be?" Gu Jinghui said, "Yuan’er already dislikes their mother and child. If she finds out about this, I’m afraid she will look down on the two children in the future. It’s precisely because of them that I feel troubled everywhere."

Previously, he didn’t often stay at the mansion. When he returned, he would spend time with the two children whenever he had the chance. How could he have known that such rumors were spreading in the mansion, and as for matters outside, no one dared to speak up in front of him.

He treated them almost the same as he did at the Northern Border. Occasionally, he felt something was amiss. Lady Zhao said that the capital city was not as open-minded as the Northern Border, and those ladies who love reading and poetry might look down on her. However, he believed that the pure would remain pure, so he didn’t take it to heart.

Ah, the pure will remain pure.

Now, it’s hard to remain pure.

Gu Jinghui sighed.

Old Madam Gu asked, "What did Yuan’er say to you?"

Bringing this up, Gu Jinghui couldn’t help but sigh again, "She said she is not a jealous woman and won’t stop me from taking concubines, but Lady Zhao is not acceptable; she would only cause chaos in the household. Yuan’er even told me a story about a Qin family exterminating the entire Cui family. I roughly understand what she meant."

"A Qin family exterminating the entire Cui family?"

Old Madam Gu squinted, pondering deeply, unable to recall such a horrible tale over the years.

And why did Yuan’er mention such a story?

"Oh?"

Old Madam Gu suddenly remembered that Qin Yuan’s father was surnamed Qin, and his legitimate mother was surnamed Cui.

"Impossible, impossible," Old Madam Gu shook her head.

"You think it’s impossible too?"

Gu Jinghui breathed a sigh of relief, "I think Yuan’er is just using scary words."

Old Madam Gu said, "You should tell me the story properly? How come I’ve never heard of such a thing?"

Gu Jinghui faltered, "This story... I don’t remember clearly either. I just vaguely remember reading about it somewhere, not sure which book it was recorded in."

Old Madam Gu sighed in relief, "I said so, right? It’s not possible. So, you mean it was written in a book? Yuan’er is different indeed. Her father is a Sacrificial Officer at the Imperial College, the most learned person there. Whenever Yuan’er speaks, it’s scholarly, she can even recount stories from books."

The topic had diverged immensely.

Gu Jinghui asked, "So, Mother, do you have any solutions?"

This word "Mother," he had heard Qin Yuan call several times, and he just said it naturally.

Old Madam Gu was taken aback, looked at him for a while, and said, "Now you’re anxious, but didn’t you previously say to simply bring them back and give them a status to stop the outside gossip, and let their mother and child stay permanently at the Marquis Mansion, raising them as your own children."

Gu Jinghui blushed deeply and said, "Mother, didn’t you punish me severely before? Why bring it up again?"

The past being mentioned now was simply sarcastic.

Sarcastic about how foolish and clueless he was.

Old Madam Gu couldn’t be bothered with him, asking, "What exactly did Yuan’er say to you? Tell me carefully."

Gu Jinghui had no choice but to recount everything again patiently.

Old Madam Gu said, "What exactly is this story? You need to find a way to clarify it for me. Yuan’er, this child, acts prudently and intelligently, and she’s endured this long before speaking up, having surely contemplated for a long time. If you can’t figure it out, how will you speak to her in the future?"

Gu Jinghui was left stunned.

At that moment, he thought, in front of Qin Yuan, he couldn’t recite poetry or recount history like Lin Ziqi, already at a disadvantage, and if he claimed not to know, wouldn’t it be embarrassing?

Anyway, he already understood Qin Yuan’s meaning, which matched his thinking, which was to let Lady Zhao and her children leave the mansion.

He hadn’t thought through what Old Madam Gu had said.

"These scholars, they can’t speak plainly," Gu Jinghui couldn’t help but complain.

Even though he was literate and could read, he was only roughly knowledgeable.

He was born to be on the battlefield. As long as he could read military books and write memos, it was enough.

Where could he find time for these scholarly complications, needing to use references and classics just to have a conversation?

In his family, only the Sixth Elder could probably communicate clearly with Qin Yuan.

Would it be an idea to find the Sixth Elder?

While he was lost in thought, Old Madam Gu was already talking to Nanny Rong, "The Fengxuan Pavilion has always been under our direct care, and when the Marquis brought her and her children back, fearing they’d suffer some grievances from others, didn’t even let Sixth Elder’s wife intervene. Now Lady Zhao is sick, but no one reported this. What’s happening?"

Nanny Rong said, "Since Lady Zhao has harbored certain thoughts, she might have already promised substantial benefits to these maids. Why not have the old slave find an excuse to call Bai Que and ask her what’s happening — could she have developed other interests?"

Old Madam Gu nodded.

After a while, Bai Que arrived, smiling as she said from outside, "Nanny Rong called me to fetch some good tea?"

"Come with me, take a look, something the Marquis newly acquired, the Old Madam wants you to choose something for Lady Zhao."

Bai Que gleefully said, "The Old Madam always keeps the Fengxuan Pavilion in mind, truly the Pavilion’s good fortune."

With that, she followed Nanny Rong inside and met Gu Jinghui’s deep and abyss-like eyes, her face couldn’t help but blush, and her heart also started pounding fiercely.

Seeing her like this, what was there that Nanny Rong didn’t understand.

Bai Que, a second-class maid in Old Madam’s room, was then sent to serve Lady Zhao. Unexpectedly, she also developed feelings for the Marquis.

Just from a glance, Nanny Rong had already guessed many things.

Bai Que gracefully performed a curtsy to Old Madam Gu and Gu Jinghui, her voice timidly saying, "Greetings to the Old Madam, greetings to the Marquis."

Gu Jinghui responded vaguely with a sound caught in his throat.

Old Madam Gu, however, with a stern face, harshly questioned, "Bai Que, you’re serving Lady Zhao at Fengxuan Pavilion. How come no one reported about Lady Zhao’s illness, something as big as this?"

Only then did Bai Que realize the matter had been exposed, and she fell to her knees with a ’thud’, crying out, "I beg Old Madam for mercy. This maid did not deliberately conceal it, but Lady Zhao pleaded with the maid, saying she dare not make a fuss and call a doctor. She initially had ailments at the Northern Border that got better after a few days of rest. The maid was momentarily confused and didn’t come to disturb Old Madam."

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Gu Jinghui’s expression.

Gu Jinghui’s face was ashen, just as Lady Zhao had said, he was still thinking about her.

Bai Que’s heart was relieved.

"As a maid, you’ve actually made decisions for your mistress," Nanny Rong scolded sternly, "Now in front of Old Madam and the Marquis, speak honestly, what exactly is Lady Zhao’s illness, how long has she been sick, and why didn’t she let you call a doctor?"

Bai Que heard the tone and although it felt a little off, she thought Nanny Rong was blaming her for not serving well, so she said, "This maid is also unsure what ails Lady Zhao. These days, she often sighs at the moon and stares blankly out of the window, unknown what burdens she bears."

"This maid’s comforting words were useless. Lady Zhao might have caught the cold by the evening breeze or caught a cold. She begged this maid, saying no doctors should be called again for fear that the madam wouldn’t like it and the Marquis would also be disturbed if he knew. This maid was momentarily confused..."

Saying this, she kowtowed to Gu Jinghui and said, "The two young masters are also not smiling due to Lady Zhao’s health. If the Marquis has time, it would be good to visit Fengxuan Pavilion."